North Creek Fire Stems From Domestic Issues

Just before eight o’clock last night fire and police officials were called out to the North Creek area directly behind the Queen’s Square Primary School in Belize City. Upon arrival, they found a wooden structure on stilts engulfed in flames. It was a frightening scene as there were about five other wooden homes nearby that were vulnerable to destruction. Oren Smith of the National Fire Service spoke of their preliminary findings into this latest incident.

OREN SMITH

“The National Fire Service received information from the police of a structural fire at #7 North Creek Belize City. On arrival on scene found were two structures already engulfed in flames. A 12X15 bungalow wooden structure and an elevated 10X14 wooden structure were engulfed in flames. The National Fire Service went into operation to extinguish the fire, both structures were later extinguished. Investigations revealed that the fire was a result of an incendiary, or the fire was classified as incendiary. Neither of the two structures were insured.”

Smith says there are reports of a domestic dispute in the house that led to the fire which began at the front of the house. At the site of the fire, police had to put in control measures as residents of the area were assaulting the firemen with missiles.

OREN SMITH

“When the structures are pretty much clustered like that it does make it a bit challenging. Your teams are usually stretched thin in protecting exposure and to confine the fire and extinguish it. Another challenging point was that the firemen literally went across the street to get to where the fire was.”

LOCAL REPORTER

“Lets go back to the assault on the fire fighters, were any of the firefighters injured and will the fire department file any charges against any individuals who were assaulting these fire fighters.”

OREN SMITH

“No reports of injury, apparently there were no injured firemen on the ground. Being that there were no injuries I don’t think we will be pursuing but again I don’t make that decision.”

The fire was extinguished before it could spread to the neighbouring structures.